Monday, February 2, 2015

Weight Watchers - The Beginning

This Journal was actually written last Friday. So when reading and you see terms like "this week," just know it's referring to the week it was written - last week.  If you would like more information on Weight Watchers, just click HERE. If you are already a member of Weight Watchers, I'd love to encourage you on your Quest. If you blog your ups and downs during your journey, leave a comment with your blog link. 
Smiles & Hugs, :) Janis

BLESS THIS QUEST
Third Time's a Charm
Friday, January 31, 2015
  
I started Weight Watchers with meetings in 2006. I LOVED THE MEETINGS. They were informative, supportive, and just fun. Plus we took home a lot of valuable information, recipes, and challenges or things to focus on until our next meeting.

Sadly, we moved 45 minutes away that same year which sort of put a damper on attending those same meetings once a week. So I joined the online community. But it just wasn't the same. I never felt connected to people like the meetings did for me. You probably already guessed it, I didn't renew that subscription.

I told myself I can do this. I have all the information and tools. But slowly I quit writing things down, or guessing at portion sizes and guessing at points. Here I am today bigger than I was then. I obviously NEED some sort of support or community, but we are still living 45 minutes away from where I loved the meetings.

This past Monday, January 26, I started WW again on my own - Tracking points, measuring portions, and writing down everything. I've done well so far this week, but didn't trust myself to continue to do so well on my own, so once again, TODAY, I have joined the online community. I'm really hoping this time will be different. That I'll be able to connect with others in my same shoes. Third Time's a charm, right?

I'm 48 years old and the full time care-giver of our special needs child = Stay at home mom / retired from the working world.

I'm 5' 2" and on Monday weighed the most I've ever been, which is not a good thing. 203.4 pounds.

I don't know what my goal weight should be, but I chose 125 lbs. If I reach this goal in a year, I will be thrilled.

I'm not active other than walking around the block or doing the WW Walking DVD at home.

I have a history of Migraines that can be triggered if my blood sugar drops and I don't eat when I should.

I have arthritis and was prescribed prescription Motrin 3 times a day.

I also have to take Omega 3 vitamins and Calcium vitamins due to my family history.

I tend to jump in with both feet when starting weight watchers, get obsessed with counting points and wondering what can I eat. I'm a huge graze eater. Walking by the kitchen means grabbing a cookie. Fixing my daughter a drink means grabbing a coke for me. I'm weak. What can I say?

I prayed about this for several days before I started on Monday. I know I cannot do this on my own. On Monday I took everything out of the pantry, frig, and freezer and calculated points using my old WW Turn Around tool. I made a list of our inventory and the points for each food including the serving size. (Now that I'm subscribed online, I can easily go look up those foods and double check their point values, adjusting my inventory list accordingly.)

To help with my graze eating or fits of feeling a headache coming and then downing chocolate and caffeine to hopefully nip it in the bud, I plan out my day of food and points the night before or first thing in the morning. I can't tell you how much this has "freed me up" during the day.

I know what I'm going to have for each meal and also add snacks that fit within the leftover points. This has been a MAJOR advantage to my success this week. I also start the day (around 5:30 am) with water, water, water. If I eat time I get out of bed, I'll over eat. So I don't have breakfast until 10. By this time I've already had about half my daily suggestion for water intake, and I'm really not that hungry.

I dislike most vegetables (except the ones I was raised on from our family farm), and love almost every fruit. My supper last night was a bowl of 1 chopped apple, 1 serving of raisins, and 4 strawberries. And I couldn't eat it all because I was full before I saw the bottom of the bowl. That's progress!

Thank you for hanging in here with me for this long post. I look forward to reading your comments and getting to know some of you.

May your Quest be Blessed!
:) Janis


P.S. The photo is from August last year at one of our daughters' wedding.

2 comments:

  1. I feel your pain Janis as I too have a weight issue and at being only 4'11" there is no room for extra weight. At 54, soon to be 55 in the spring, bad health issues, RA, Lupus and Fibro I take a lot of meds. And I don't want too but they are needed to get through a day. Sometimes I don't have the energy until afternoon, that is the way it is with Lupus suffers especially in the winter and we have brutal winters here in PA. I have thought about joining WW's but then hate to pay money to do this, but it is obvious that I need help to loss the weight. I have lost some weight, but not that you can see yet. So being 3 inches shorter than you and a little more weight than you, I'm in sad shape! I will keep eating smart like I've been doing and will follow your journey as well. I wish you all the best my friend. I'm not a huge snacker and I bake all the time because hubby wants the goodies. I don't eat a lot of what I bake, but there are some things, like sugar cakes, that I love to eat and so I don't make them often because I will eat them. lol I will be here rooting you on!!! Hugs, Brenda

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  2. Thanks for sharing your story and I will be rooting for you as you begin this quest for a healthier you! You can do this...you are totally worth it and as long as you focus on one day at a time you got this!
    LOVE your gorgeous family photo...thanks for sharing and inspiriing i look forward to reading about your progress throughout your journey! happy wednesday! xx Donna K

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